Medical Cannabis Research

In a 2003 issue of the Journal of International Neuropsychological Society is this study looking at the possible long-term residual effects of using cannabis. The results of this meta-analytic study failed to reveal a substantial, systematic effect of long-term, regular cannabis consumption on the neurocognitive functioning of users who were not acutely intoxicated. read more…

Published in the February 2015 issue of Lancet Psychiatry is this study looking at psychosis linked to use of potent cannabis. The risk of individuals having a psychotic disorder showed a roughly three-times increase in users of skunk-like cannabis compared with those who never used cannabis. read more…

In this study, published in November 2014, Zhang and fellow researchers located CB2 receptors and their genes in dopaminergic neurons in a brain area that is involved in reward and drug addiction. Distinct from CB1 receptors, CB2 receptors have been long associated with immune cell function. read more…

This study, published in the January 2015 issue of Oncology Reports, concludes that endocannabinoids are capable of halting the growth of prostate cancer cells through activation of apoptotic mecha­nisms. read more…

From an 1843 issue of the Provincial Medical Journal in London, comes this reprint of Dr. William O’Shaughnessy’s report on preparation of hemp in the treatment of pain. “As to the evil sequels so unanimously dwelt on by all writers, these did not appear to me so numerous, so immediate, or so formidable, as many which may be clearly traced to over-indulgence in other powerful stimulants or narcotics-viz, alcohol, opium, or tobacco.”.

Published in the January, 2015 issue of Research Briefs in Economic Policy is a study on medical marijuana laws and suicide rates. This research suggests the public-health benefits of legaliza­tion may outweigh the costs. .

A 2010 study in the journal Brain shares results that support the notion that downregulation of type 1 cannabinoid receptors is a key pathogenic event in Huntington’s disease, and suggest that activation of these receptors in patients with Huntington’s disease may attenuate disease progression. read more…

Published in 2012, this study concluded that elevation of cannabinoid receptor activity either by pharmacological blockade of the degradation of cannabinoids or by receptor agonists could be a promising strategy for slowing down the progression of brain aging and for alleviating the symptoms of neurodegenerative disorders.

This 2013 review, published in the journal Brain Sciences, focused on numerous experimental studies. They report that the modulation of the endocannabinoid system either by enhancement of the endogenous cannabinoid signaling or by administration of exogenous cannabinergic ligands has beneficial effects during the acute and recovery phases after perinatal brain injury. read more…

This 2014 study published in Lancet Psychiatry recorded clear and consistent associations and dose-response relations between the frequency of adolescent cannabis use and all adverse young adult outcomes. After covariate adjustment, compared with individuals who had never used cannabis, those who were daily users before age 17 years had clear reductions in the odds of high school completion and degree attainment and substantially increased odds of later cannabis dependence, use of other illicit drugs, and suicide attempt. read more…